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Council of the Federation Website
[ Conseil de
la fédération - version française ]
The Council of the Federation comprises Canadas 13 provincial
and territorial Premiers.
Its objectives are to:
* Promote interprovincial-territorial cooperation and closer ties
between Premiers, to ultimately strengthen Canada;
* Foster meaningful relations between governments based on respect
for the Constitution and recognition of the diversity within the
federation;
* Show leadership on issues important to all Canadians.

Established in 2003, the Council enables Premiers
to work collaboratively to strengthen the Canadian federation by
fostering a constructive relationship among the provinces and territories,
and with the federal government.

Is the Council of the Federation really "a
new institution for a new era in
collaborative intergovernmental relations"?

Read the following excerpt from
the
About Us page of the Council's original website:"On December 5, 2003, Canadas Premiers proudly announced
in Charlottetown the creation of the Council of the Federation.
It is a new institution for a new era in collaborative intergovernmental
relations* . The Council of
the Federation was created by Premiers because they believe it is
important for provinces and territories to play a leadership role
in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive
and cooperative federal system."
[ About Us:http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/aboutcouncil/aboutcouncil.html
]

------------* NOTE (by
Gilles): I crack up every time I read the Council's original
About Us statement re. "...a new era in collaborative intergovernmental
relations". The Council of the Federation was set up by
provincial-territorial Premiers *specifically*
to exclude federal representation and to gang up on Stephen Harper's
evidently uncollaborative federal government, notably on the subject
of health care funding in Canada. The "About Us" section
of the Council's website has since been updated and the expression
"collaborative intergovernmental relations" has
been expunged.

Bottom Line:

The Council of the Federation is
a private provincial-territorial club.NO FEDS ALLOWED.

The
remainder of this page is organized in reverse chronological order,
with the most recent addition at the top...

Aboriginal Children in Care
(PDF - 55 pages)http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/component/phocadownload/category/27-publications-en?download=718:aboriginal-children-in-care
July 17, 2015
Excerpt from the Executive summary:
Aboriginal children are over-represented in child welfare systems across
Canada. In August 2014, Canadas Premiers directed provinces and territories
(PTs) to work with Aboriginal communities in their respective jurisdictions
to share information on local solutions; and acknowledged the need for governments
and Aboriginal communities to work collectively to address this Canada-wide
problem. Although Premiers also requested that the federal government be
engaged in this work, neither the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
Development Canada, nor the Minister of Employment and Social Development
Canada responded to invitations to participate.

News Releases and Communiquéshttp://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/meetings-events/76-2015/438-summer-meeting-july-15-17-2015-st-john-s-newfoundland-and-labrador
- includes links to each of the following releases from and about the July
15 (2015) summer meeting:
* Canadas Premiers engage federal party leaders
* Implementing an Energy Strategy for Canada
* Premiers support joint action on climate change
* Health Care remains a top priority
* Premiers discuss issues of importance to Canadians
* Whitehorse, Yukon, to host 2016 Summer Meeting of Canadas Premiers
* Premiers work together to strengthen Canadas future prosperity
* Improving outcomes for Aboriginal children in care
* Providing services for an aging population
* Premiers affirm commitment to action in response to Truth and Reconciliation
Commission Report
* Premiers commit to Apprentice Mobility
* Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol
* Newfoundland and Labrador Hosts Summer Meeting of Canadas Premiers
in St. Johns
* Final Details of 2015 Summer Meeting of Canadas Premiers in St.
Johns from July 15-17, 2015
* Canadas Premiers to Meet in St. Johns from July 15-17, 2015
Go to the conference home page (the link immediately above) to select any
release you wish to read.

Canadas Premiers to Meet in Ottawa
on January 30, 2015http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/
January 8, 2015
Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz will chair the 2015 Winter Meeting
of Canadas Premiers on January 30 at the Ottawa Delta City Centre.
---
Check the link above for related news releases and communiqués.
---

Is the Council of the Federation "a
new institution for a new era in
collaborative intergovernmental relations"?

Read the following excerpt from the
About Us page of the Council's original website:"On December 5, 2003, Canadas Premiers proudly announced
in Charlottetown the creation of the Council of the Federation. It is a
new institution for a new era in collaborative intergovernmental relations*
. The Council of the Federation was created by Premiers because
they believe it is important for provinces and territories to play a leadership
role in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive
and cooperative federal system."

------------* NOTE (by Gilles):
I crack up every time I read the Council's original About Us statement re.
"...a new era in collaborative intergovernmental relations".
The Council of the Federation was set up by provincial-territorial Premiers
*specifically* to exclude federal representation
and to present a (more-or-less) united front when dealing with Stephen Harper's
evidently uncollaborative government, notably on the subject of health care
funding in Canada. The "About Us" section of the Council's website
has since been updated and the expression "collaborative intergovernmental
relations" has been expunged.[ The new About Us page:http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/aboutcouncil/aboutcouncil.html
]

Bottom Line:

The Council of the Federation is a private
provincial-territorial club.
NO FEDS ALLOWED.

A Difficult Road Ahead - Canadas
Economic and Fiscal Prospects (PDF - 1MB, 94 pages)http://goo.gl/543h6d
August 28, 2014
Excerpt from the Preface:
This report considers three spending scenarios --- the Status Quo scenario,
the Low Health scenario, and the What's Possible scenario --- in an effort
to gain insights into the challenges the provincial and territorial governments
will experience in trying to balance their budgets in the face of an aging
population.

An Infrastructure Working Group formed by Canadas Premiers and led
by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will convene a summit in Toronto on August
6. The summit will focus on exploring opportunities to build up Canadas
public infrastructure and drive economic growth. Along
with Premier Wynne, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for
infrastructure and economic development are examining the importance of
public infrastructure to Canadas economy and are seeking input from
leading industry, government and NGO experts on infrastructure.

Source:
Council of the Federationhttp://www.canadaspremiers.ca/
The Council of the Federation comprises Canadas 13 provincial and
territorial Premiers.The Council of the Federations objectives are
to:
* Promote interprovincial-territorial cooperation
and closer ties between members of the Council, to ultimately strengthen
Canada;
* Foster meaningful relations between governments based on respect for the
Constitution and recognition of the diversity within the federation;
* Show leadership on issues important to all Canadians.

Canadas Premiers Achieve Improvements
in the Renewal of Funding for Skills Traininghttp://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/latest-news/74-2014/362-canada-s-premiers-achieve-improvements-in-the-renewal-of-funding-for-skills-trainingTORONTO, February 28, 2014 - Premiers are committed to creating
good jobs and driving economic growth through a skilled and productive workforce,
and providing Canadians support to contribute to Canadas economic
prosperity. By working together, Canadas Premiers have achieved a
modest number of changes to the federal governments proposed Canada
Job Grant* - changes which minimize
the negative impact of the initial federal proposal. Although Premiers still
share important concerns about the design of the Canada Job Grant, they
are prepared to move ahead with implementation discussions on the basis
of the compromise which has been worked out.
(...)

* Québec has already indicated
that it intends to opt out of the Canada Job Grant initiative with full
compensation.

Canadas Premiers met today to continue their focus on jobs and the
economy. In order to grow the economy, Premiers are united in their commitment
to provide skills training to all Canadians who want to participate in the
workforce. They support evidence based programming that has been proven
to help Canadians. Consultations led by Premiers Clark and Alward confirmed
that the proposed Canada Job Grant will not work for employers or the most
vulnerable Canadians. As proposed, the Canada Job Grant would focus training
funds on those that already have jobs, and leave unemployed Canadians behind.
(...)
Premiers are unified in their position that provinces and territories must
retain the right to opt out with full compensation of any federally funded
agreements or initiatives such as the proposed Canada Job Grant program.

Source:
Council of the Federationhttp://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/
Established in 2003, the Council enables Premiers to work collaboratively
to strengthen the Canadian federation by fostering a constructive relationship
among the provinces and territories, and with the federal government.

Premiers are Committed to Effective
Skills Training and Labour Market Programs (small PDF file, 1 page)http://councilofthefederation.ca/pdfs/Communique_Jun18_Labour_Market.pdf
June 18, 2013
Premiers recognize that a skilled and productive workforce is critical to
creating good jobs and driving economic growth. This is why provinces and
territories design, deliver, and report publicly on training programs that
reflect local labour market needs. These programs, including some funded
in part by the federal government, achieve measurable outcomes and help
a wide variety of workers get the essential training they need to find jobs.
In its 2013 Budget, the federal government announced its intention to change
the way it contributes to training programs in Canada. Premiers welcome
a greater role for private sector job creators, but the proposed changes
would take funding from programs that help the most vulnerable people who
need additional supports to find jobs.
(...)
While skills training is provincial and territorial jurisdiction, all orders
of government contribute to workforce development. To ensure the continued
effectiveness of skills training and labour market programs, federal
funding for skills training and labour market programs must be adequate,
equitable, long-term, predictable and not mandate cost matching. [Bolding
added]

Source:
Council of the Federationhttp://councilofthefederation.ca/
On December 5, 2003, Canadas Premiers proudly announced in Charlottetown
the creation of the Council of the Federation. It is a new institution for
a new era in collaborative intergovernmental relations. The Council of the
Federation was created by Premiers because they believe it is important
for provinces and territories to play a leadership role in revitalizing
the Canadian federation and building a more constructive and cooperative
federal system.government funding and is not affiliated
with any political party.

Premiers meet in Halifax, but will they
talk about poverty?http://dignityforall.ca/en/premiers-meet-halifax-will-they-talk-about-poverty
By Megan Yarema
July 25, 2012
Today is the first day of the annual meeting of the Council of the Federation
- a group comprised of the 13 premiers from all provinces and territories.
From July 25-27 premiers have gathered in Halifax to discuss important issues
such as healthcare, the environment, and a pan-Canadian energy strategy.
But is there room for poverty on the agenda? We hope so.
The Dignity for All campaign has written two letters to provincial leaders
(see the links below) inquiring about the effects that changes to Old Age
Security and Employment Insurance will have on regional economies, and where
a federal poverty plan fits in. Two campaign members, Campaign 2000 and
Canada Without Poverty, have recently added their voices to the conversation
in published online articles looking at poverty and healthcare, and Employment
Insurance in the Atlantic provinces. Both pieces note the role that each
service plays in alleviating poverty.

Source:
Dignity for Allhttp://dignityforall.ca/
Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada was founded by Canada
Without Poverty and Citizens for Public Justice in 2009.

Campaign 2000's Open letter to Canadas
Premiers:
Remember that Poverty Affects All Canadians (PDF - 188K, 3 pages)http://www.campaign2000.ca/resources/letters/OpenLetterToPremiersReCoFmeetingJuly2012.pdf
Annual Council of the Federation Meeting in Halifax, July 25-27, 2012
July 2012To All of Canadas Premiers: Remember
that Poverty Affects All Canadians
For the Upcoming Annual Council of the Federation Meeting in Halifax, July
25-27, 2012
Dear Premiers:
We are writing to you as members of the Council of the Federation which
is meeting this week in Halifax and are urging all of you, Canadas
Premiers, that there are three compelling reasons why you need to work together
and deal seriously with poverty and inequality which increasingly touches
the lives of all Canadians.
1. Income is a key determinant of a persons health
2. Canadas high levels of poverty also jeopardize the countrys
fiscal and economic bottom lines over the long term
3. When federal, provincial, territorial and First Nations governments work
together they can achieve a great deal to address poverty.

Source:Campaign 2000http://www.campaign2000.ca/
Campaign 2000 is a cross-Canada public education movement to build Canadian
awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution
to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.

Why the Atlantic Provinces are Concerned
About EIhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/megan-yarema/bill-c-38_b_1695886.html
July 24, 2012
By Megan Yarema (of Canada Without Poverty)
The general buzz of activity on Parliament Hill may be in summer hibernation,
but the effects of the last session are reverberating through the provinces.
Premiers from all 13 provinces and territories are gathering in Halifax
July 25-27 for the annual Council of the Federation meeting and will likely
be discussing the impact of the omnibus budget bill C-38. Upcoming legislated
changes to federal programs such as Employment Insurance, pose a strain
to provincial resources -- a topic of particular concern to the Atlantic
Provinces.

"I'm sure you're
all wondering who is helping the Premiers throughout their debates at the
Council of the Federation meetings this week.

These companies (see the list below) are, I am absolutely sure, being totally
altruistic in this effort. I know that not a single one of them, from pharmacists
and drug companies to energy and insurance providers, would have a single
thing to gain by being there and buying some access and influence.

It will be interesting to see the outcomes. I myself am looking to see a
united front on the immediate implementation of a pharmacare plan that will
allow everyone access to affordable medications plus a plan to control energy
costs so ordinary people can afford to pay their heat and electricity bills.
I know there will be movement to reduce auto insurance premiums and increase
the benefits to meet the needs of people who have had their lives altered
by motor vehicle collisions.

(As they say in the biz, "Ya gotta
dance with da one dat brung ya...")

From the
Toronto Star:

Premiers agree on health-care improvementshttp://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1232088July 26, 2012
By Robert Benzie
HALIFAXA new premiers accord on bulk-buying of some generic
drugs and improving health care was just what the doctor ordered to resuscitate
the Council of the Federation meeting. With a high-profile fight between
the premiers of Alberta and British Columbia over the Northern Gateway pipeline
royalties dominating headlines and chatter in the corridors here, Saskatchewan
Premier Brad Wall and Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz prescribed
a cure for the rancour.

Counsel for the Council (PDF
- 32K, 3 pages)http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/973ENG.pdf
By Sherri Torjman
January 2012
The Council of the Federation was created in 2003 to help promote cooperation
and closer ties among provinces and territories. While the Council tackles
a range of issues, it has focused considerable attention in recent years
on health care. Subsequent to its meeting in July 2011, the Council issued
a statement on Health Sustainability. Nearly a decade ago, Premiers published
an accord that preceded the 10-year Canada Health Transfer agreement with
the federal government. Like the current Council of the Federation communiqué,
the 2003 First Ministers Accord on Health Care Renewal identified
primary care reform and catastrophic drug coverage as major concerns. But
another area that figured prominently at the time  home care 
has not appeared (at least explicitly) on the Council of the Federations
statements. There can be no fundamental reform of health care in the absence
of improved supports for long-term care, home care and informal caregivers.
Community care should figure prominently when the Premiers resume their
conversations at their upcoming meeting in Victoria on January 16 and 17,
2012.

News Release:
The Federal Role in the
Future of Health and Health in Canada (PDF
- 52K, 4 pages)http://goo.gl/mdssj
January 12, 2012
For Canada to rank among countries with the healthiest populations, we need
a broadly shared vision of health and health care, sustained leadership
by the federal government, as well as action and accountability on the parts
of provincial and territorial governments, health care providers and the
public. This is the main conclusion of the report on the role of the federal
government in health and health care that was commissioned by the Health
Action Lobby (HEAL)  a coalition representing 34 national health organizations.
HEAL is releasing the report in advance of this months meeting of
the Council of the Federation at which Canadas premiers will discuss
the future of health and health care.
[ Version française du Communiqué (format PDF):http://goo.gl/mCRqz ]

The report:

Functional Federalism and the Future of Medicare in Canada
- A Report to the Health Action Lobby (HEAL)
(PDF - 1.5MB, 138 pages)
By Bill Tholl and Guy Bujold
January 2012http://goo.gl/KFfXY
This project is a response to concerns about quality, access and the sustainability
of Canadas health and health care systems, an attempt to spark the
public discussions needed as the 2003 First Ministers Accord on Health
Care Renewal, and 2004 First Ministers 10­year Plan to Strengthen
Health Care (which we refer to here as the health accords) come
to an end in the Spring 2014. There are critical discussions to be had and
decisions to be made if we are going to make the right choices  especially
since how engaged the federal government will be in leading those discussions
is uncertain.[ NOTA : L'étude complète n'est pas disponible en français.]

Source:Health Action Lobby (HEAL)http://www.healthactionlobby.ca/
The members of the Health Action Lobby are committed to sustaining and enhancing
the health of Canadians, and in the continuous improvement of fair, equitable,
efficient and effective health services and system(s).

Council of the Federationhttp://www.canadaspremiers.ca/On December 5, 2003, Canadas Premiers proudly
announced in Charlottetown the creation of the Council of the Federation.
It is a new institution for a new era in collaborative intergovernmental
relations*. The Council of the Federation
was created by Premiers because they believe it is important for provinces
and territories to play a leadership role in revitalizing the Canadian federation
and building a more constructive and cooperative federal system.
[ About Us:http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/aboutcouncil/aboutcouncil.html
]

------------* NOTE: I crack
up every time I read the Council's About Us statement re. "...a
new era in collaborative intergovernmental relations". The Council
of the Federation was set up by provincial-territorial Premiers *specifically*
to exclude federal representation and to gang up on Stephen Harper's evidently
uncollaborative federal government, notably on the subject of health care
funding in Canada. The "About Us" section of the Council's website
has since been updated and the expression "collaborative intergovernmental
relations" has been expunged...Gilles

It
will take a nation to lift a generation out of poverty
Premiers need to put plight of poor children on their sustainability agenda
this weekBy Laurel Rothman, Phil Fontaine and Vera
Pawis Tabobondung
July 16, 2008
We are writing to urge the country's premiers to make poverty reduction
central to their discussions in Quebec City this week on environmental and
economic sustainability.Canada's ongoing success relies upon a healthy population
that can sustain itself and flourish. Our premiers are in a strong position
to ensure that all of our young people thrive, not merely survive. The premiers,
with their federal counterparts, need to use their individual and collective
positions to ensure that no child or family suffers the debilitating effects
of poverty.
Source:The Toronto Star

NOTE: Since October 2004, the Premiers' Council on Canadian Health
Awareness link refers visitors to the Council of the Federation website;
accordingly, I've deleted the broken links, but left the text in case
someone might find it helpful. You can try pasting a title below into
your favourite search engine to see if there's a copy of it somewhere.

Premiers' Council on Canadian Health Awareness
"In January 2002, the Premiers of all the Canadian provinces
and territories agreed to launch a jointly funded Premiers' Council
on Canadian Health Awareness to improve Canadians access to information
and enhance public awareness of the challenges of and solutions for
the future of health care in each jurisdiction. The Premiers' Council
has a mandate, budget and full time staff to gather and disseminate
information to Canadians on issues such as health care funding, health
services innovation and best practices, human resource planning and
management, drug effectiveness and assessment, and statistical comparisons
provided by provinces and territories."
- incl. links to : About the PCCHA - Communicating with Canadians
- [Health] Funding Facts - Improving Health Care - Working Together
- Newsroom

NOTE: The Funding Facts page of this sub-site
is where you'll find some of specific provincial-territorial views
on how much the federal government is contributing (16% of the total
cost), and how much it should be contributing ("a fair share"),
towards the cost of insured health care in Canada.

Premiers Launch New Public Awareness Campaign
on Health Care Funding
OTTAWA, March 8, 2004 - Premiers of all 13 provinces and territories
launched a national advertising campaign today to inform Canadians
about health care challenges and the need for increased federal funding
for health care.
Source:
Premiers' Council on Canadian Health Awareness

A new study confirms the existence of fiscal
imbalance (PDF file - 9K, 1 page)
Press Release
"Ottawa, March 8, 2004  The Treasurer of Prince Edward
Island, Mr. Mitch Murphy, the Québec Finance Minister, Mr.
Yves Séguin, the Manitoba Finance Minister, Mr. Greg Selinger
and the New Brunswick Finance Minister, Mr. Jeannot Volpé,
on behalf of all Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Finance,
released today a new study of the Conference Board of Canada that
confirms the existence of fiscal imbalance in Canada. The study clearly
underlines the fact that widening fiscal prospects between Federal
and Provincial-Territorial governments will dampen Provinces
and Territories efforts to balance their budgets now and moving
forward."

Complete report:

Update February 2004:
Fiscal Prospects for the Federal and Provincial/Territorial Governments
(PDF file - 526K, 61 pages)
"In December 2003, the provinces and territories asked The Conference
Board of Canada to update the July 2002 study, Fiscal Prospects for
the Federal and Provincial/Territorial Governments [see the link below].
The purpose of this study is to project the federal Public Accounts
and the aggregate provincial/territorial government Public Accounts
over the long term, with a particular emphasis on determining the
impact of demographic changes on the cost of public health care and
education spending to 2019/20. The results are presented in the tables
included in this updated study."

Medicare costs called unsustainable
Health-care spending growing 25-per-cent faster than the economy at
large, report saysBy Rod Mickleburgh
March 10, 2004
"Canada is the world's third-highest per capita spender on health
care. Yet for all that money, Canadians lag behind other countries
in many vital health indicators, according to a comprehensive report
by the Conference Board of Canada."
Source:
The Globe and Mail

To search the complete
Canadian Social Research Links website ,
use the text box below:

To search ONLY the page you
are now reading,
use Ctrl + F to open a search window.

SUBSCRIBE
TO THE CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH NEWSLETTER
Sign up to receive this free weekly newsletter by e-mail or read it
online (including archives back to January 2005).
Each issue includes all links added to this site during the previous
week. (2800+ subscribers in June
2017)